glorycloud's Diaryland
Diary
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Christ the Fountain of Life
"I will shew that this is the right Scriptural Notion of Regeneration and Conversion; to this end is Christ Preached, 1 Cor. 1. 23, 24. No other Name under Heaven by which we can be saved, Acts 4. 12. This Name must be published, Acts 9. 15. Regeneration, or our first Conversion, what is it but a revealing Christ in us? Gal. 1. 16. Drawing unto Christ, John 6. 44. Receiving Christ, John 1. 11. Following Christ, Matt. 9. 9. 'Twas Christ they came over to in Conversion; hence those Phrases of our being in Christ, and Christ's being in us, living in us, Gal. 2. 20. Formed in us, Gal. 4. 19. Put on by us, Gal. 3. 27. Rom. 13. 4. Thus you see how the New Creature, or the Regenerate Person, has his Life, Being, and whole Subsistence in and from Christ. If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. We are taken up so much with Duties of Evangelical Obedience, that we commit a great error in our first step; do not go over to Christ and begin there; thence it is that the Saints are called Christians, because their Original is from Christ; they bear his Image, are acted by his Spirit, partake of his Nature. If this new Life be from Christ, what is the way of its derivation from Christ unto us, or how comes this Virtue from Christ into our Souls, that both our state and nature should be thus changed in him, and by him, in order to newness of Life in our after Conversation? You must give me leave often to put Questions, why, and how, and which way; because I am now enquiring after the Manner of Regeneration. If you ask, How Life comes to be derived from Christ into the Soul of a dead Sinner? Answer, I say, this is effected by our vital union to Christ.—We need not wonder that such a change is wrought in those who are thus joined to the Lord in one and the same Spirit; we cannot come so near to Eternal Life it self, and not be quickened by it; we cannot remain dead, when we thus enter into Life it self. The main Query is, How this Union is brought about between Christ and our Souls? Answer, The Spirit takes hold of us, and joins us to Christ; working Faith in us at the same instant; by which we take hold of Christ, improving the Grace of Union to a real Communion with Christ, we dwelling in him, and he in us. 'Tis union to Christ, that gives Life at first, and maintains it ever after in our souls. We have our first quickening from this Union, and all after increases of Spiritual Life, are but so many fresh emanations from Christ the Fountain of Life, flowing into our Souls. . ." 'Regeneration' by Thomas Cole
10:04 a.m. - 2023-09-26
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